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| [March 29, 2012] |
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SpaceX Announces Independent Safety Advisory Panel for Commercial Crew
HAWTHORNE, Calif. --(Business Wire)--
Today, Space Exploration Technologies (SpaceX (News - Alert)), one of the leading
private companies working to restore America's ability to carry
astronauts to the Space Station, announced it has assembled a team of
outside experts to help the company create the world's safest human
spaceflight system.
Artist's rendition of a Dragon spacecraft with SuperDraco launch abort engines visiting the International Space Station. Credit: SpaceX
"When it comes to manned spaceflight, safety is our top priority," said
SpaceX CEO and Chief Designer, Elon Musk. "These experts will provide us
with important insights as we prepare to carry astronauts on the next
generation of American spacecraft."
The independent Safety Advisory Panel is composed of leading human
spaceflight safety experts, including several former NASA astronauts and
senior NASA officials. The panel will provide objective assessments of
the safety of the Dragon spacecraft and Falcon 9 rocket to help SpaceX
maintain the highest level of safety.
Among the experts joining the SpaceX Safety Advisory Panel are:
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Dr. Leroy Chiao, PhD, Former NASA astronaut, Former
International Space Station commander, member of the Augustine
Commission (Review of United States Human Spaceflight Plans Committee).
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Dr. G. Scott Hubbard, Former Director of NASA Ames Research
Center, Stanford University professor of aeronautics and astronautics,
sole NASA representative on the Columbia Accident Investigation Board.
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Dr. Richard T. Jennings, MD, MS, Former Chief of Medicine for
NASA Johnson Space Center, University of Texas Medical Branch professor
at the Aerospace Medicine Center.
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Captain Mark Kelly, Former NASA astronaut, Former Space Shuttle
commander, Retired Navy Captain.
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Dr. Edward Lu, PhD, Former NASA astronaut.
The panel will convene in the fall of 2012 and will continue its work
well after SpaceX begins flying people to space.
About the Members:
Leroy Chiao, PhD
Dr. Chiao served as a NASA astronaut from July 1991 until December of
2005. During that time he qualified for flight assignments as a Space
Station commander, Space Station science officer and Space Shuttle
mission specialist. Chiao also served as chief of the Astronaut Office
EVA Branch. A veteran of four spaceflights, he flew as a mission
specialist on STS-65, STS-72 and STS-92, flew to and from the ISS as
Flight Engineer on a Russian Soyuz, and was the commander and NASA
science officer on Expedition-10. Chiao logged a total of 229 days in
space, including 36 hours and 7 minutes of EVA time in six space walks.
He has received numerous awards including NASA's highest award, the
Distinguished Service Medal. Chiao served as a member of the Review of
U.S. Human Spaceflight Plans Committee, chaired by Norm Augustine.
G. Scott Hubbard
Dr. Hubbard has been engaged in space-related research for over 35 years
including 20 years with NASA culminating as director of NASA's Ames
Research Center. In 2003, he was the sole NASA representative on the
Columbia Accident Investigation Board where he directed impact testing
analysis that established the definitive physical cause of the loss of
the Columbia. Hubbard was NASA's first Mars program director and
successfully restructured the Mars program in the wake of mission
failures. He is the founder of NASA's Astrobiology Institute, conceived
the Mars Pathfinder mission and was manager for NASA's Lunar Prospector
Mission. Hubbard has received many honors including NASA's highest
award, the Distinguished Service Medal. He is currently a professor of
Aeronautics and Astronautics at Stanford University, where his research
focuses on planetary exploration and the emerging entrepreneurial space
industry. Hubbard serves as the Director of the Stanford Center of
Excellence for Commercial Space Transportation.
Richard T. Jennings, MD
Dr. Jennings served as flight surgeon at NASA-JSC from 1987-1995, as
chief of the Flight Medicine Clinic, and as chief of Medical
Operations-Space Shuttle. He was crew surgeon or deputy crew surgeon on
14 Shuttle missions and provided mission support to 45 Shuttle flights.
In 1995, he joined the University of Texas Medical Branch in Galveston
where he directs the UTMB/NASA-JSC aerospace medicine residency program
and coordinates the Wyle (News - Alert) Integrated Sciences and Engineering/UTMB
physicians that support NASA spaceflight operations, advanced medical
projects, and research at the Gagarin Cosmonaut Training Center,
NASA-JSC, and the Flight Analog Research Unit at UTMB. He is the lead
flight surgeon for Space Adventures and consults in commercial
suborbital spaceflight with Virgin Galactic. Jennings is a principal
investigator for UTMB in the FAA Center of Excellence in Commercial
Space Transportation.
Mark E. Kelly, Captain, USN
Captain Kelly served as a NASA astronaut from August of 1996 until
October of 2011. His first trip into space was as pilot of STS-108, when
Endeavour lifted off on December 5, 2001. In July 2006, Kelly served as
pilot for STS-121 aboard Discovery, the second "Return to Flight"
mission following the loss of Columbia in February 2003 in a mission
that tested new safety and repair techniques introduced following the
Columbia disaster. STS-124, aboard Discovery, was Kelly's first mission
as commander. Kelly was also the commander of the STS-134 mission, which
was Space Shuttle Endeavour's last flight. A Captain in the U.S. Navy,
Kelly logged more than 6,000 hours in more than 50 different aircraft
and has over 375 carrier landings.
Edward Lu, PhD
Dr. Lu served as a NASA astronaut from March of 1995 until August of
2007. A veteran of three space missions, Lu has logged over 206 days in
space, including an EVA totaling 6 hours and 14 minutes. Lu was the
first American to launch as the flight engineer of a Soyuz spacecraft
and the first American to launch and land on a Soyuz spacecraft (Soyuz
TMA-2). As flight engineer and NASA ISS science officer, Lu spent a
6-month tour of duty aboard the International Space Station maintaining
ISS systems and overseeing science operations. Lu received numerous
commendations including NASA's highest award, the Distinguished Service
Medal. After leaving NASA, Lu joined Google (News - Alert), where he led the Advanced
Projects Group responsible for imaging for Google Street View and Google
Maps/Earth, book scanning technology and innovative energy projects.
Photos/Multimedia Gallery Available: http://www.businesswire.com/cgi-bin/mmg.cgi?eid=50222496&lang=en
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